The present invention relates generally to devices associated with windshields and wipers and, in a preferred embodiment thereof, more particularly provides a device which is usable for preserving windshields and wipers.
It is well known that virtually all vehicles are equipped with windshields and windshield wipers, excepting most motorcycles. A windshield serves to protect and shield the vehicle's occupants from the elements, and the windshield wipers serve to clean and clear the windshield's outer surface so that it is easy to see through the windshield. Some vehicles, such as airplanes, also utilize windshields as barriers between air pressure inside the airplanes and air pressure external to the airplanes.
Unfortunately, when wipers are allowed to remain in operative contact with windshields for extended periods of time, many harmful effects are produced. These harmful effects are known to occur, for example, with recreational vehicles, airplanes, and utility vehicles, which are used only occasionally, intermittently, or are otherwise stored periodically without their wipers being activated.
One harmful effect is that, while a wiper is in operative contact with a windshield, biasing members, such as springs, within an arm supporting a wiper blade proximate the windshield, typically force the wiper blade against the windshield and thereby produce a deflection of the wiper blade. Generally, the wiper blade is made of a rubber-like material which tends to be resilient, but prolonged deflection of the wiper blade usually causes it to retain the deflection. Such retained deflection, in turn, causes the wiper blade to perform poorly when it is subsequently called upon to clean or clear the windshield. For this reason, a wiper blade having a retained deflection will usually be rejected during a periodic vehicle inspection, resulting in an economic cost for replacement of the wiper blade which may be quite significant, particularly in the case of an airplane wiper blade.
Another harmful effect is that a wiper blade, having been biased into contact with a windshield for a prolonged period of time, tends to become adhered to the windshield. This situation is encountered most often when the vehicle has been stored in hot weather conditions. When the wiper is subsequently activated, the wiper blade must be forcefully torn from the windshield, possibly severing portions of the wiper blade or otherwise damaging the wiper mechanism. This situation may also occur in cold weather conditions when frozen rain, frost, etc. adheres the wiper blade to the windshield.
Still another harmful effect is that moisture tends to collect about a wiper blade when it is stored in contact with a windshield. Such prolonged exposure to moisture can degrade the wiper blade material, making it hard, brittle, and otherwise prone to cracking and poor performance.
Yet another harmful effect is that dirt, sand, dust, grit, etc. tends to collect on upper surfaces of the wiper blade and about a line of contact between the wiper blade and the windshield. If left uncleaned, when the wiper is subsequently activated, the wiper blade will typically scrape the sand, grit, etc. across the outer surface of the windshield. Repeated occurrences will abrade multiple arcs into the outer surface of the windshield, making the windshield difficult to see through. In extreme cases, the windshield may have to be replaced, which is very costly, particularly for airplane windshields.
From the foregoing, it can be seen that it would be quite desirable to provide a device which preserves wipers and windshields, prevents wiper blades from adhering to windshields, prevents accumulation of moisture about wiper blades during storage, prevents accumulation of dirt, grit, etc. between and about wiper blades and windshields during storage, and prevents wiper blades from retaining deflection as a result of prolonged operative contact with windshields. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide such a device and associated methods of preserving wipers and windshields.